"Oh my god!" Garcia gasped, as the two agents were thrown into the air.

Hotch was awake long enough to see Kate lying on her side after being thrown against a post, a car door crushing her body. Then he lapsed into unconsciousness

When he opened his eyes, the previously crowded street was deserted. He felt blood pouring down his face. It took all his energy for him to stand and after a long time, he finally did. He looked around the street, so many thoughts running through his mind. Where're all the people? Where's Kate? What happened?

He looked over his shoulder and saw the burning SUV. It came flooding back. He looked over to the lamp post and saw Kate lying there. He ran over to her and lifted the door from off of her. Blood was gushing from her head. "Oh God," he said. "Pulse, pulse, pulse…" he said, grabbing her wrist. He checked and his face immediately fell.

"What the hell happened?" someone called.

"I need a paramedic… I have an officer down," he shouted.

Hotch couldn't remember much else. He heard Morgan and sirens. As he watched as Kate was being wheeled away, he fell back onto the ground and back into unconsciousness.

He woke up a day later. Morgan, Rossi and JJ were in the room with him. "Hi," he said, trying to smile, "what happened?" he asked.

"They set a bomb in the car Hotch," JJ explained. In anticipation to his next question she looked down. "Kate didn't make it. She had severe internal bleeding." Hotch didn't hear much after that. He didn't feel much.

He had himself discharged later that day, despite the doctors' objections. Rossi ordered JJ to stay with him and she agreed; She and Will would take care of him.

After an hour of Hotch not being himself, JJ couldn't take it any more. Will offered to go down for coffee and food. Hotch declined the offer.

"Hotch! You need to eat," JJ said exasperated.

"What I need is to catch these guys, JJ."

When they were alone in the room, JJ took a seat next to Hotch. "Hotch… How much did you liaise with Joyner?" she asked. It was pointless to ask. He wouldn't be acting this way if it wasn't anything more.

"I'm married JJ… I've always been married to Hailey since I was in college…" The look on her face told him she wasn't giving up. He told her. "Gideon sent me to London on a case. A man killing two white females between thirty and forty in a state, he'd quickly move onto another. After a while he moved to London.The killer was good… Kate was the lead detective on the case. We met. She was a little cold at first. Eventually we got on, we had a lot in common… one thing led to another. I fell harder for her then I ever thought possible. I asked her to move to Quantico with me ad when I was leaving at the airport, I proposed."

JJ was in shock. "Hotch… since when are you spontaneous?"

"I left… she said she'd meet me in Quantico in two weeks. I was ready to tell Hailey everything, but I got a note saying she wasn't coming and her engagement ring was with it…The other day she told me she'd found my wedding ring and that she'd sent it back with the note and ring. Before I got the note I'd found it in my pants pocket. I realized Hailey had gotten to the note first and put my ring in my pants…resealed the letter…" There was a long silence before he spoke again. "Can I ask you something?" he asked.

"Of course…"

"If I'd told her I was married would she be dead? I mean if I'd told her and promised her I'd stay in London or if she'd come and I'd convinced her to quit, would she be dead? Would fate have found another way to take her?"

"I think the smallest thing can change everything…"

Will soon reappeared with three cups of steaming hot coffee and some salads. "Wasn't sure what to get y'all so just grabbed a variety."

"Thanks," Hotch said, taking one of the cups.

2 more days passed. Kate was buried. As soon as the funeral was over, Hotch went back to work, knowing he would never be the same again. Losing Kate once was hell. Losing Hailey was torture. Losing Kate for a second time was dying over and over again.

"They killed an agent… Let's get these bastards."

He had everyone on the street minus Garcia and JJ but Will was more then willing to help.

Emily came on over the headset. "Hotch, Rossi, we have a suspect, heading through the subway.

"Let's go." They moved as fast as they could. They met Emily, Morgan and Reid on the landing of the first set of stairs. Together they inched down the second set, Rossi leading.

When they got to the platform, they found no sign of the unsub. Garcia came on over the headset. "He just stole a car. It has a GPS and I'm tracking it… Looks like it's headed in the direction of the hospital."

"If they have another bomb, hospital ORs would be he perfect place to set it off," Ried stated.

They arrived at the hospital in record time, met by Detective Brunstin and Will. The car park was completely deserted and, as they found out seconds later, so was the hospital building. "Maybe they don't want anyone hurt," Morgan suggested.

"We still need to find them," Rossi stated.

"Split up…" Hotch ordered. "Prentiss and Reid, take the second floor; Morgan and Will, the third; Dave and Brunstin take the first… I'll take the ground. Keep communication on. If contacted, respond immediately, unless you're unable to. Good luck."

"Hotch, you just got out of hospital. Someone should go with you…"

"I'm fine."

And so they split up. It was unnerving to have a hospital so empty. He suddenly realized that they had missed a floor; the basement.

"Copy that."

As he rounded a corner, he heard someone behind him. Before he could turn around, he heard a gunshot which barely missed his head. He pulled out his own gun and turned. He aimed and pulled the trigger; it was empty. I reloaded it before we left. He tightly closed his eyes and hugged the wall. No time to waste. "I need backup now." No answer. After firing and missing three times, the shooter began reloading his gun. Hotch quickly glanced around, and then something caught his eye. A gun and a magazine were on a metal, wheelie tray by the nurses' station. He'd definitely get to them before the shooter had reloaded. He started sprinting. He heard the trigger being pulled. He grabbed the bullet box and dove behind the station, throwing up the tray as he went, causing the bullet to hit it. He reloaded his gun and began firing. He missed again and again. He eventually ran out of bullets. What's wrong with me?

An idea hit him. The two halls on either side of him were both connected to the hall by the elevator. If he could sneak to the hall on his left he might be able to make it to the stretch and then the elevator. It's worth a shot. H e put his plan into action. The elevator doors closed just as bullets started flying at him.

"Thanks guys… great team-work," he said.

The elevator doors opened. The grey hall was dimly lit, giving off a red glow. Hotch wished he took Morgan's advice and brought someone with him. He made his way to the opened door at the end and went down the steps. He stood in something. Bending down and feeling, he noticed it was blood. He turned on a light in the room and checked the sign on the wall outside: Morgue.

Moving his eyes back into the room, he saw a body. He moved and turned it over. His eyes grew wide and vomit rose in his mouth as he stared into the lifeless face of Emily Prentiss. Reid… he thought. Blood had poured from her torso, heart and head, eyes wide open. He caught sight of a bundle of bodies a few feet away. As he grew closer he recognized the face: Will LaMontagne, Derek Morgan, Detective Brunstin, Spencer Reid and David Rossi. All had the same wounds as Emily. Tears came to his eyes and he couldn't hold the vomit back anymore. Most of his friends and family had been killed. It was the first time he had truly helpless, alone. That's why no one answered. "Garcia? You there?"

He saw three women with blonde hair sitting against a wall, all head down and tilted to the left. Hotch walked over, dreading what he was going to see. The first woman he knew was Penelope Garcia before he even lifted her face. He checked the second woman: JJ. …and the baby.

Why are they taking people in my life… first Kate, then my team… Who's the final body?

He couldn't think of anyone else in New York. He checked the face. "Kate!" he breathed. He stood and looked around. "What the hell is going on around here?"

"Figured it out yet?" questioned the familiar voice of former agent Jason Gideon.